BTN football people pick Greene for offensive MVP

Network Football Experts Unanimously Select Greene as Offensive Player of the Year: Just when you thought the election season was over, it’s time to vote for the highest honors in Big Ten football. The Big Ten Network’s Charles Davis, Howard Griffith, Chris Martin, Glen Mason and Dave Revsine cast their ballots early under the premise that this weekend’s games could affect their selections, particularly the Coach of the Year race. Gerry DiNardo is waiting until “Election Day” to vote. Tune in Monday at 7:30 PM for Big Ten Tonight: All-Conference Selection Show to see how DiNardo would vote.

The group of early voters unanimously selected Iowa running back Shonn Greene as the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year and Terrelle Pryor as the conference’s Freshman of the Year. There was little agreement on the Defensive Player of the Year category. Here are the picks from our experts.

Big Ten Coach

of the Year

Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year

Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year

Big Ten Freshman

of the Year

Charles Davis

Joe Paterno

(Penn State)

Shonn Greene

(Iowa)

Malcolm Jenkins

(Ohio State)

Terrelle Pryor

(Ohio State)

Howard Griffith

Joe Paterno

(Penn State)

Shonn Greene

(Iowa)

Brit Miller

(Illinois)

Terrelle Pryor

(Ohio State)

Chris Martin

Mark Dantonio

(Michigan State)

Shonn Greene

(Iowa)

Malcolm Jenkins (Ohio State)

Terrelle Pryor

(Ohio State)

Glen Mason

Mark Dantonio

(Michigan State)

Shonn Greene (Iowa)

Mitch King

(Iowa)

Terrelle Pryor

(Ohio State)

Dave Revsine

Joe Paterno

(Penn State)

Shonn Greene

(Iowa)

Aaron Maybin

(Penn State)

Terrelle Pryor

(Ohio State)

Big Ten Coach of the Year

Davis: Paterno. “Penn State was not picked by anyone to win the Big Ten or even in the top three. Mark Dantonio of Michigan State is my second choice and if the Spartans beat Penn State, he moves to first.”

Griffith: Paterno. “It would have to be Paterno for all he’s done. But they have to win against Michigan State, otherwise, I think it’ll go to Mark Dantonio.”

Martin: Dantonio. “He has turned around a moribund program by holding players accountable and stressing character and discipline. These are the first back-to-back winning seasons for the Spartans since 1989-90.”

Mason: Dantonio. “They’ll finish with at least nine wins and they’re playing for at least a piece of the Big Ten Championship in the season’s final week.”

Revsine: Paterno. “This is a tough one. Dantonio clearly deserves some consideration, as does Fitzgerald. But Joe has gotten a ton out of this team and has done so despite some off-the-field distractions.”

Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year

Davis: Greene. “It’s the consistency with a hammer and a burst. Javon Ringer is my second pick.”

Griffith: Greene. “He’s been the focal point of everyone’s defensive game plan each week, but no one has been able to slow him down.”

Martin: Greene. “Shonn Greene is the best player in the country. He deserves Heisman Trophy consideration. He’s the only back in FBS to run for 100-plus yards in every game this season.”

Mason: Greene. “He’s the best running back in the league. Because of the way he has performed coming down the wire, Iowa has turned its season around. He deserves it.”

Revsine: Greene. “He has made an incredible difference in Iowa’s offense. That position might have been the biggest question mark for any team in the conference heading into the season, and he has turned in an All-American caliber year.”

Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year

Davis: Jenkins. “He is often overshadowed by his linebacking teammates, but Jenkins does it all. Navarro Bowman of Penn State is my second choice.”

Griffith: Miller.“All you have to do is look at the numbers. They’re just crazy. The numbers don’t lie.”

Martin: Jenkins. “He is a shut-down corner and the best cornerback in the country. He has dominated each week and also splashed big plays on special teams.”

Mason: King. “He’s the most dominant and disruptive defensive player in the league.”

Revsine: Maybin. “He’s the most disruptive player on the best defensive unit in the conference.”

Big Ten Freshman of the Year

Davis: Pryor. “The hype was so high, and he still delivered and maybe even over-delivered. He’s sensational and he’s only going to get better. John Clay, DeLeon Eskridge and Sam McGuffie are honorable mention.”

Griffith: Pryor.“He’s the starting quarterback of the 10th-ranked team in the country as a freshman and he’s lost just one game as the starter.”

Martin:Pryor. “He’s been the glue guy for Ohio State as a true freshman. Enough said!”

Mason: Pryor. “Who else?”

Revsine: Pryor. “It’s hard to argue that any freshman has had a bigger impact. He is the starting quarterback for the second-best team in the conference. That being said, the offense has clearly taken a step back this year.”

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Responses

Check this: In conference games only, Iowa MLB Pat Angerer trails James Laurinaitis by one tackle, 74-73. In all games, Angerer leads the league with five interceptions.

The kid has put together a helluva year, but postseason stuff will be hard to come by because I think Angerer is more “out of nowhere” than even Greene is. Remember, Angerer didn’t win the starting job until, when?, Northwestern?

By: marcmwm on November 19, 2008 at 4:27 PM

Shonn is having a phenominal year and has earned all of the accolades. But I’m with Glen Mason: is there a more exciting player in the Big 10 to watch than Mitch King!?! If Aaron Kampman can be All-Pro year after year at 265 lbs., I really hope Mitch can do the same.

By: Pete on November 19, 2008 at 11:16 PM

Kampman and King are different players. Kampman is a little taller, rangier and more explosive. Providing a pass rush off the edge like that is something one percent of the population is capable of and makes you a rich man in the NFL.

King is an inside player, a little shorter and probably not as fast as Kampman. I’m not sure that King has the “punch” that Kampman has developed.

Could he play D-end? I don’t know. I do, however, think he can play D-line in the right scheme in the NFL and probably make some money. Same with Kroul.

This team might end up with a few pros. Greene, Bruggeman, Olsen, King, Kroul, Bulaga and Calloway — they all have chances and I’m sure I’m missing a few.

By: marcmwm on November 20, 2008 at 2:17 AM

I’m not sold on Calloway yetbut luckily he’s only a jr.

DiNardo is waiting to vote until tonight? If that’s a gimmick, OK, but he seems like a real goof. There is little wonder why he is on TV and not the sidelines IMO.

Those #’s for Angerer ar amazing. He is almost more of an unknow, nice call Marc.

Also, everyone, has any player you can recall ever lived up to what you thought he could do more than Shonn? That’s what amazes me the most about him. We saw glimpses of this and now he’s on the verge of doing it 12 straight weeks, and arguable getting better each week.